Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



L.-V. YOUNG.

Breech Loader.

Patented June 21, 1870.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

LEWIS V. YOUNG, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 104,682, dated June 21, 1870.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEWIS V. YOUNG, of the city and county of St. Louis, and State of Missouri, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Breech-Loading Fire-Arms, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 represents a portion of a rifle having my improvements. Fig. 2 represents an end view of the barrel. Fig. 3 represents a vertical transverse section of Fig. 1 at a: y. Figs. 4 and 5 represent, respectively, side and end views of the cartridge-ejector. Fig. 6 represents a detached view of the lock-plate.

Similar letters indicate like parts.

My improvement relates to that class of breech-loaders in which the barrel is made to move in order to allow it to be loaded at the breech; and, though the illustration is a rifle, the same construction is adapted to other descriptions of firearms.

The drawing represents the rifle with the stock proper removed, all the parts of the stock shown being preferably made of metal, as malleable iron, and in one piece, so as to cheapen the construction, the wooden portion of the stock being attached to this part by suitable screws, as will be easily understood from an inspection of the drawing.

The barrel A, Figs. 1, 2, is made with a mortised projection beneath it at the breech end, as plainly seen at B, Figs. 1, 2, and with a second projection, G, in the same plane with B, and provided with a slot, as seen. A pivot, passing through this slot and the sides of the stock D, fastens the barrel at this point, and serves as a center, on which it swings when assuming the position indicated by the dotted line in Fig. 1, the slot allowing the barrel to have, at the same time with its vertical movement, a slight longitudinal motion.

In the mortise of B a cartridge-ejector, E, Figs. 1, 4, 5, is inserted, being kept in place and its reciprocating motion regulated by a pin, t, Fig. 1, working in the depression 2, Figs. 1, 4, in the lower edge of the ejector.

The face of the ejector is, when the piece is ready for firing, flush with the end of the barrel, which has a recess, a, Fig. 2, to receive it, and the upper edge of the face has a groove,

1;, Figs. 4, 5, into which the edge of head of the cartridge-shell fits, so that it too may be flush with the end of the barrel.

In the ejector is a socket, 0, Figs. 1, 4, in which plays the rounded head of the lever d, Fig. 1, which works in the mortise of B on the pin 0.

The stock D has a receiver, Q, into which B and the slotted end of the trigger-guard lever F enters, and the guard swings on a pivot, f, passing through it and the sides of the receiver. The end of the lever d enters the slot of F, and is there secured by a pivot, It. The other end of the guard has a spring-catch, G, working in a slot, as seen.

Pivoted in the slot of F is an arm, B, Fig. 1, which, passing through a slot, H, Figs. 1, 3, in the breech-plate T, Figs. 1, 3, there engages with a shoulder, 0, on the tumbler L, as shown in Fig. 1.

This tumbler may be of any desired shape, and the mechanism of the lock need be of no particular kind in order to the perfect working of my device, as the only conditions necessary in this regard are, that the tumbler shall have a shoulder or similar arrangement against which the arm 1% may work. I prefer, however, a lock like that shown, in which the hammer K and tumbler are made in one piece, of the shape shown, and provided with a fly, m, the mainspring N and trigger-spring 0 being arranged as shown in Fig. 1, these two, with the spring of the catch G, being the only springs I use in any part of my weapon.

A plate, 1?, Fig. 6, covers the working parts of the lock, the pivot on which the hammer swings passing through it at s.

Thereis a slot, c, Fig. 3, in the breechplate, to enable the hammer to strike the cartridge.

hen it is desired to load the piece the catch of the guard is released and the guard carried forward to the position indicated by the dotted lines, which forces up the barrel to the position indicated by dotted lines through the action of the lever d, which also, working on the pin 6 as a fulcrum, throws the cartridgeejector forward, freeing the barrel from the shell to of the cartridge, the slot in O and the slight curving of the back edge of the projection B enabling the barrel to move longitudinally back sufficiently to allow the ejector to move in the opposite direction in accordance with the impulse given it by the lever d. This same motion of the guard forces the arm R against the shoulder of the tumbler I1, carrying it back, and leaving it at the position of full-cock. The cartridge being inserted, the guard is carried back to its former position, andiz the piece is ready for firing, being at fullcoc Of course, if it is desirable to have the arms made so that the return motion may leave the hammer at half-cock, this can be readily done by a simple change in the adjustment of the parts, as by changing the position of the shoulder of the tumbler, or the length of the arm It, or the position of the cock-notches on the tumbler.

The chief advantages of my mode of construction are the simplicity and strength of all the parts, the ease with which it can be re paired, and a new part substituted for one that is injured, and the great rapidity with which it may be loaded and discharged, four motions onlybeingrequired for this operation-namely, a forward motion of the lever-guard, insertion of the cartridge, return of the guard to its locked position, and then pulling the trigger, during all which motions the hand need be removed from the guard but once, to insert the cartridge.

All danger of premature discharge while the cartridge is being inserted and the barrel returned to its receiver is completely obviated by the action of the arm R on the shoulder of the tumbler, rendering it impossible for the hammer to fall before the barrel is in position.

The recoil is received by the solid breech- I ever, were materially .different from those mentioned herein,.;both in mode of operation and otherwise. For instance, Golcher has recourse to a spiral spring to operate his cartridge-ejector, while in my device I do away with any spring or its equivalent.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by .Letters Patent, is

1.' The trigger-guard lever F, lever d, oart-ridge-ejector E, and breech-piece T, in combination with the barrel A, all arranged and constructed for joint operation, as and for the purpose specified and shown;

2. The combination of the trigger-guard 1cver F, arm R, lever d, cartridge-ejector E, and breech-piece T with the swinging barrel A, all arranged and constructed for joint operation, as and for the purpose shown and specificd.

L. V. YOUNG. Witnesses:

SAML. S. BOYD, LEwIs MYERs. 

